The Sprout
The Newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Issue 179 July 2023
The Sprout
The Newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Directors: Janet Bartlam, Judi Bolder, John Clements,
Michael Cockman, Ag MacKeith
Editor
Ag MacKeith
South View House, Old Botley, OX2 0JR Tel: 724452 Editor@TheSprout.org.uk
Advertising Manager
Michael Cockman
50, St Paul's Crescent OX2 9AG Tel: 07766 317691 Adverts@TheSprout.org.uk
Deliveries
Jan Shirley and Isabelle Hayes
9, Sweetmans Road OX2 9BA 07706 606719 Deliveries@TheSprout.org.uk
Copy Date: Copy by 15th of month preceding publication. Earlier submission is
welcome. Later contributions may have to be held over to the next issue.
Advertisements: If you have print-ready advertisements in the correct format the last
day for booking advertising is the 10th of the month preceding publication; in all other
circumstances more advance notice will be needed. For details about exact sizes, quality
requirements, advice on text and help with production, please contact the Advertising
Manager.
Advertising rates:
½ page: 1 issue £56; 3 issues £135; 5 issues £196; 10 issues; £336
¼ page: 1 issue £28; 3 issues £67.50; 5 issues £98; 10 issues; £168
1/8 page: 1 issue £14; 3 issues £33.75; 5 issues £49; 10 issues; £84
Subscriptions: If you live outside North Hinksey Parish you can still receive The Sprout
on a regular basis. Just take out a postal subscription – only £12 per annum, delivered to
your door. Contact: Janet Bartlam: 01865 453111.
Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information printed in this newsletter,
mistakes may happen. The Editor and Team apologize unreservedly for any errors that
may occur and will do their best to correct them. This publication is not a vehicle of the
parish council, and parish councillors working with the Sprout do so in a personal capacity.
Opinions expressed are the opinions of the individual contributors.
All concerned in the production and delivery of The Sprout are unpaid volunteers.
The Sprout is printed by The Holywell Press, and published by
North Hinksey Parish Publications Ltd, (a company limited by
guarantee) Registration No. 05609535.
The Sprout
Issue 179, July 2023
Contents
3 Letters to the Editor
5 Botley in Bloom RESULTS
9 Botley Youth Club
11 What Does the Parish
Council Do?
15 Brownies / Planning Apps
17 Trademark MURDER
20 The Beauty of Sheds/
Cumnor Choral
21 Ready for Winter?
23 Girls’ Football
25 A Year with the 15th
26 Meet… George/ Kennington
Memory Club
29 Medical Practice News
30 Oxford Open Doors
31 4th Need a Home
35 Botley Arts
37 Botley Bridges
38 Goodbye Lyn
39 Randoms
42 General Organisations
From the Editor
Welcome to a Sprout packed for summer reading. Looking forward, the
Medical Practice has options to consider (p29), Sustainable Botley offers
help with getting your house ready for winter (p21), the 4th Scouts are
looking for a new site (p31) and Botley Bridges brings us up to date on
page 34. The results of Botley in Bloom are on page 5, and you are invited
to share the charms of your garden shed on page 20. Botley Girls football
team are wearing their new, Sprout sponsored shirts (p 23 and cover), and
there’s an interview with a local author ahead of a Q&A session in the
library in July (p17), plus an interview with a pig on page 26 – a first for the
Sprout*. Also in July, the Sprout AGM will be up at the Pavilion on Sunday
23rd. Anyone can have a share in the Sprout. Just pay £1 at the AGM. But
even without joining, you can still have a say in what we publish – email
your ideas to editor@thesprout.co.uk and we’ll take it from there. Or come to
the AGM and tell us what you’d like to see. Finally, following the hotly
contested elections in May, we thought it might be timely to set out an
account of what the parish council actually does (p11). With six new
councillors, a job-share for the new Clerk and Finance Officer, and a new
groundsman up on the playing fields, the future looks hopeful.
Ag MacKeith *although we did once interview a dog
Letters to the Editor
Botley in Bloom
Just wanted to agree wholeheartedly with your correspondent in the June
issue who made a useful and appreciated suggestion about the BOTLEY
IN BLOOM's categories, suggesting one that featured paved front
gardens. This would illustrate the familiar adage of making a virtue out
of reality, enabling many more entrants to participate. In fact, there was
a category several years ago of something similar, like Best Front Drive
[aka ‘Best Car Bower’ – Ed].
I hasten to add that this is no criticism of BOTLEY in BLOOM, which has
always been a welcome event, with some stunning and imaginative
entries over the years ... just a positive suggestion. Ruth Cameron
Recycling tinfoil (a tip for Sprout readers)
Contaminated foil and plastic containers must go in the black bins, but
foil will take 100 years to dissolve. Instead, use your dishwasher to clean
foil and plastic containers, also foil wrapping sheets folded in half over
plate racks (really useful tip). Everything will come out clean for reuse or
recycling. Briony Newport
Botley Medical Centre – always good!
On Monday morning I called the Centre, later that morning was a
telephone consultation with a Centre doctor. At 10am on Wednesday the
prescribed medicine arrived by post. An example of the first-rate service
I've always received. Adam Hardiman, MA
Botley in Bloom Front Garden Competition 2023
THE RESULTS ARE IN!
Many thanks to all those who participated in this year’s Botley in Bloom
Front Garden Competition. We have had the good fortune to see some
diverse gardens this year making for interesting and careful judging. A
place to park the car(s) is an essential consideration for most of us but
our imaginative local gardeners have come up with some lovely ways to
distract the eye, as well as trying to protect our environment and
welcoming wildlife into their gardens.
What a close-run competition this year! On totting up our score sheets
we found that two of the categories had a tie for first place. I am delighted
to announce the winners in each of the three categories as follows:
BEST OVERALL FRONT GARDEN
Joint 1st prize - 4 Seacourt Road,
Lucy and Ed Saddington. Lovely
planting including roses and
foxgloves, and we particularly liked the
way part of the lawn was left unmown
(see photo).
Joint 1st prize – 94 North Hinksey
Lane, Phil Bloomer. The beautiful
tapestry of seed heads in this garden
is simply captivating.
2nd prize – 13 Maple Close, Andrea
Flear’s colourful and creative garden
left us impressed by how much she
manages to cram into a small space.
Highly Commended – 5 Cumnor
Rise Road, Rinaldo Caprotti. The
largest of the gardens in this category
and we liked the way Rinaldo used
colourful planting.
BEST CULTIVATED-WILDLIFE
FRONT GARDEN
Joint 1st prize – 94 North Hinksey
Lane. Phil Bloomer’s garden is
particularly good for wildlife and we
could hear the sparrows and bees
making the most of the indigenous planting (see photo on next page).
Joint 1st prize – 36 North Hinksey
Village. Chris and Elaine Sugden take
good advantage of the natural stream
running alongside their property with its
wildlife corridors. Their native planting
helps support local wildlife.
2nd prize – 50 St Pauls Crescent,
Caroline Cockman. This corner plot has
many pretty pots and scored full marks for
bird/insect boxes.
Highly Commended – 13 Maple Close,
Andrea Flear. Again, Andrea’s lovely
planting and creativity scored highly.
BEST USE OF VEGETABLES
1st prize – 13 Maple Close, Andrea
Flear (see photo below). A beautiful small
garden with an inspiring variety of fruit and
vegetables including tomatoes,
strawberries, broad beans, peas,
blackcurrants, plus many herbs, all
jostling with colourful flowers. A worthy
winner.
2nd prize – 17 Finmore Road, Bob
Blackburn. A couple of good raised beds
showed some great vegetable planting. Bob also scored well for
supporting wildlife (a necessary score for all categories).
Highly Commended – 36 North Hinksey Village. Chris and Elaine
Sugden’s pretty front garden contains a raised bed for growing a few
healthy-looking vegetables.
A recent letter to The Sprout suggested a category around the idea of
Best Low Cost or Limited Space. This is a good thought and we
wondered if a regular piece on cost-saving tips would be welcome?
Spending a lot of money does not necessarily make a good garden. For
instance, growing tomatoes, pumpkins, or butternut squash from seeds
garnered from shop-bought veg can produce great results. In reply to the
concern expressed about pollution, of course you can grow vegetables in
your front garden – simply wash or peel as you would supermarket veg.
A great deal of thought goes into deciding the different categories and it
should be remembered that when judging we need to be able to tick off
various criteria (as itemised in March edition of The Sprout). Beauty is
very subjective which is why we use our scoring guidelines.
My fellow judge Jan Bartlam and I wish to thank everyone who entered
the competition, as well as Botley/North Hinksey Parish Council for
sponsoring the prizes. Vouchers will find their way to all first and second
prize winners. Many congratulations! Viv Smith
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Botley Youth Club
Botley Youth Club flung open its
doors and welcomed 50 children
and young people to its first session
on 7 June.
The Youth Club values are about
inclusion, getting together, having
your own time, trying new things
and having fun in a supportive
space.
Children and young people aged
10–16 are welcome to come along
every Wednesday 7pm–9pm during term time. It’s £1 entry on the door
at Louie Memorial Pavilion. There is a tuck shop too!
If you would like to know more, please do contact Botley Youth Club by
email: botleyyouthclub@gmail.com. We look forward to welcoming your
children to Botley Youth Club!
What Does the Parish Council Do?
Following the excitements of the recent, hotly contested elections, we
may find ourselves asking each other what the new parish council will
actually do. Here is a simple account of how things work round here.
The highest tier of government locally is Oxfordshire County Council. It is
responsible for roads, public health, children’s services, and adult social
care, and it channels funding to the police.
The second tier is the District Council, responsible for housing, leisure
and recreation, environmental health, waste collection, planning
applications and local taxation collections. Our local District Council is the
Vale of White Horse, based in Abingdon, but it has combined with South
Oxfordshire as South & Vale to run some things jointly.
The third and lowest tier is the Parish Council, which is responsible for
Allotments and Playing Fields (and other green spaces) and for feeding
grassroots information back to the District Council. So, for instance, local
planning applications are all vetted by the Parish Council’s Planning
Committee, which sends recommendations back to the District Council.
(The District Council may choose to ignore these if there are wider issues
involved.) In the context of planning, all Parish Councils were asked to
write Neighbourhood Plans describing their areas and setting out criteria
for future development. These are taken into account when Planning
decisions are made. North Hinksey Neighbourhood Plan is on the Council
website, via the Planning Committee page.
You may be wondering how all this is funded – and the answer is very
complicated. Much too complicated to delve into here – though if
you really want to know, there is good information on
https://www.newlocal.org.uk/articles/council-finance-explained.
How does the parish council actually work? Numbers vary, but ours is
composed of 14 volunteers – your elected parish councillors – aided by
the parish clerk, a paid post. The clerk is often also the finance officer,
but current arrangements have divided the job into two part-time posts,
and, following recent interviews, new staff should be in place very soon.
Meetings are held monthly (apart from August) and this year’s chair is Cllr
Lorna Berrett. The vice chair is David Kay. Council operates with several
committees, including: Planning (chair, Adam Rankin); Recreation and
Amenities (chair, Jamie Spooner); Finance and General Purposes
(consists of the chairs of all the committees, plus two other councillors
with wide knowledge of the parish, sets and reviews the budgets);
Communications (chair, David Kay); and Remembrance Day (chair,
Adam Rankin) which exists to organize the Remembrance Day Service
at the Commonwealth War Graves in Botley Cemetery. Given the very
limited scope of the parish council’s responsibilities, you may be
surprised to learn that there is no Allotments Committee. It was
disbanded in 2022, and responsibility has devolved back to full council,
who run them with a very light touch indeed.
Playing fields and green spaces are the responsibility of the parish
council, which explains why the main projects in hand at the moment are
both situated on the Louie Memorial Playing Field in Arnold’s Way. These
are the enhancement of outdoor provision for teenagers, aka the Botley
Bowl Skatepark, and the replacement Pavilion. Also of interest (though
with no active changes envisaged) are the Copse and Fen in the lower
playing field, along with the play area for younger children, and the North
Hinksey Lane Nature Reserve, which includes the Community Orchard,
the Minns Memorial Garden, a wildflower meadow and a pond. All these
elements are in the remit of the Recreation and Amenities Committee.
(Raleigh Park, although within the parish, belongs to Oxford City Council.)
Various short-term working groups advise the Council and committees
but have no decision-making powers. They usually also involve local
people who are not councillors. For example, the public arts working
group manages the public arts programme in the new shopping precinct
and is starting to discuss art for the Turner Drive area. The Environment
Working Group was set up to advise on the Local Climate Action Plan.
The above are responsibilities that Parish Councils have to take care of,
but they can also choose to do more to support the community, such as
the Jubilee and Coronation events this past year, grants to local volunteer
groups, and representing parishioners on the West Way developer’s
liaison group.
Ag MacKeith
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Shout out from the Library
Botley Library has a team of volunteers happy to drop books off to
people who find it hard to get out, and with time to stay for a chat if
wanted. So, if this would suit you, phone them on 01865 810259 (NB
Last month’s phone number was out of date, this is the right one.)
2nd Botley Brownies
We are now in the last term of our Brownie year before the summer
holidays and as such we continue with the official programme for this
year, but also include outdoor activities as well. Before the last meeting
of the term in July, for instance, we will spend the evening at Beanwood,
playing outdoor games, having a traditional campfire
and toasting marshmallows to create s’mores. These
are a toasted marshmallow between two chocolate
digestive biscuits – thus named as once you’ve had
one you will find you want some more!
As you can see from the photo, we created a gift and
card for Father’s Day. The Brownies were given a
blank puzzle which they first bordered and then wrote
a message to create a unique puzzle for each dad.
If you have enjoyed reading about our year of
activities, and you are a girl aged between seven and
ten years of age who wants to have fun, make friends and try new things,
then please do make contact with 2nd Botley Brownies via Girlguiding’s
website and come and join us in September. “Don’t be shy, come and
give us a try”. West Oxford District Girlguiding Pop-Up Café and Fete will
be held in the Louie Memorial Field on the afternoon of Sunday 9th July.
Brown Owl
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P23/V1121/HH
48 Yarnells Hill. Rear 1st floor
extension; front porch; conversion of
garage to living accommodation.
11 May
TDD: 6 July
P23/V1042/HH
21 Hazel Rd. Double storey extension
to rear.
15 May
TDD: 10 July
P23/V1043/HH
23 Hazel Rd. Double storey & single
extension at rear & double storey
extension at side. Cantilever porch x 2.
15 May
Target
Decision Date:
10 July
P23/V1118/HH
27 Yarnells Hill. Erect rear single
storey extension + front porch.
15 May
TDD: 10 July
P23/V1159/HH
190 Westminster Way. Erect rear &
side ground floor extension.
24 May
TDD: 19 July
P23/V1258/LDP
11 Montagu Rd. Replace garage with
single storey side extension.
1 June
TDD: 27 July
Trademark MURDER
There's no way of knowing what startling
crimes might be brewing behind closed
doors. People move to Botley for the
tranquillity of its streets, yet one
apparently innocent door in Botley is
sheltering murder most gruesome.
Murder in the décor, murder for dinner.
Our murdersome hostess is novelist
Olivia Kiernan, who has just published
her fifth novel, The End of Us, a stand-
alone thriller.
Prior to this, Olivia wrote a series of four
crime novels featuring Detective
Inspector Frankie Sheehan, the feisty
daughter of a retired policeman, whose
tough demeanour and effective practice
belie her submerged fragility. Frankie's engaging persona remains to
haunt the reader long after the final – invariably surprising – last page is
turned. The Sheehan books' appeal is far-reaching: they have been
published in multiple countries, including Japan (bibliography appended).
Olivia is relatively new to the published page, although she's been writing
since the age of seven. Born and raised in a rural hamlet near the Irish
town of Navan, Olivia says that her creative outlet has always manifested
itself in words and in writing, which she views in a visceral context. She
did a degree in Ireland in Anatomy & Physiology, ultimately deciding to
become a chiropractor rather than a physiologist because the work
involved directly using her hands.
Olivia came to the UK in 1999, living first in Wales and then Oxford, where
she's been now for 20 years, the last four here in Botley. She continued
practising as a chiropractor for some 12 years, while simultaneously
writing in her spare time, making serious attempts at getting published.
During this period, she did an MA in Creative Writing. “I wrote three
novels which elicited endless rejections,” she says self-deprecatingly.
“They now exist unpublished, in a drawer, from which they will never
emerge.”
As is the way of fate, she had just about given up on her dream when
suddenly she began getting positive feedback from publishers, and the
first in the Sheehan series appeared in 2018. Clearly talented and with a
growing following, Kiernan has produced a book virtually every year
since. Currently, she is trying her hand at short stories in a genre other
than crime, and a second stand-alone novel is still in progress, though
with no publication date yet.
Irish actress Victoria Smurfit has optioned the TV rights to the Frankie
Sheehan series, and hopes to approach networks soon. Watch this
space! Any other aims still in the future? “I would love to write a
screenplay,” she replies without hesitation. And she will.
Botley Library has a treat in store for us all: Olivia will be appearing there
for an informal Q&A on Saturday July 15 at 2pm. Entrance is by free
ticket obtainable either at the Library, or by phoning 07922 849680.
Ruth Cameron
Bibliography:
Play Dead for Me [Aka Too Close To Breathe] (2018)
The Killer in Me (2019) If Looks Could Kill (2020)
The Murder Box (2021) The End of Us (2023)
The Beauty of Botley Sheds…
… and Outbuildings. Are you
proud of the shed or other
outbuilding in your back garden?
Members of the Sprout editorial
team have spotted several
handsome and intriguing
constructions which deserve to
be celebrated. Could yours join
the list? Please send two photos
by 15th July to
grantn00@outlook.com,
together with any brief
explanation you’d like to appear
alongside. A name and address
would be appreciated, but will not
appear in print.
Here’s a shining example from St
Paul’s crescent to get us started.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cumnor Choral Society needs new singers
“He who sings scares away his woes” Miguel de Cervantes.
Our next concert will be in St Peter and St Paul Church at 19.30 on
Saturday 2nd December. Term starts on September 14th, rehearsals
between 19.30 and 21.30, at St. Andrew’s Church, Orchard Road.
The concert will be dedicated to the memory of Rosemary Smith, a much-
loved member of the choir who joined in the early days when she was a
young girl. Rosie sadly died in May and will be much missed by all of us.
Following Peter Foster’s departure, we now have a new Musical Director,
Ben Goodall. Ben has put together a lovely programme to mark Advent,
including works by Vaughan Williams, Mendelssohn and Haydn.
We are a well-established friendly choir. We welcome new singers,
especially tenors and basses! There is no voice test, and although the
ability to read music certainly helps, it is not essential. Please do come
along to our first rehearsal if you would like to see what it’s like.
Our website is www.cumnorchoralsociety.wordpress.com; we are in the
process of updating it. Contact Caroline Cockman for more information
on either Cockman.caroline@gmail.com or 07961 900670.
Is your home ready for winter?
Forecasters expect an El Niño this year – a surface warming of the
tropical Pacific Ocean that shapes weather around the globe. In the UK
it makes for warmer summers and colder winters. Meanwhile we don’t
expect a return to low gas prices, and every kilowatt-hour you use
contributes to the climate crisis, so home energy remains a hot topic.
If you’re thinking about whether your home is ready for next winter,
Sustainable Botley is here to help! Our report on energy saving in typical
Botley homes is online at www.sustainablebotley.uk. Some of the main
messages are:
• Most of our lofts and cavity walls in Botley are insulated. If yours still
haven’t been done, it’s time to get on with it. Adding mineral wool
between the joists in an uninsulated loft can save 30% of your home
energy; insulating cavity walls can save 20%. These measures will
easily pay for themselves, and there are grants if your household is on
a low income or includes vulnerable members.
• Otherwise, some of the biggest energy savings come from insulating
solid walls with external or internal cladding. In many of our homes this
could cut energy use by as much
as 40%, but it is expensive and
internal wall insulation is
disruptive. We are expecting
grants to be available from a new
government scheme via energy
suppliers later in the year.
• Replacing gas-fired central
heating with a heat pump can
reduce carbon emissions by about
two thirds, but may not cut running
costs as electricity is three times
as expensive as gas. There are a
lot of myths about heat pumps
which are covered in our report. In
a nutshell, a heat pump can work
in just about any home, but it’s best
to insulate first and the whole
system needs to be carefully
designed for the building.
Other measures make a difference too. If you’re replacing doors or
windows, it makes sense to get energy efficient ones, not just standard
double glazing. Insulating a suspended timber floor cuts draughts and
saves energy. And if you have open fireplaces, it’s best to get them
sealed up – you can do this temporarily with a chimney balloon.
A well-insulated house is likely to be quieter, less prone to damp and
mould, and cooler in summer as well as more comfortable in winter.
The best action to take depends on your circumstances. Sustainable
Botley offers home visits and we can advise on small and large
measures. We are also now able to issue Energy Performance
Certificates which are needed to access some grants. If you are
interested, please get in touch by email to laurie@livingwitness.org.uk.
Laurie Michaelis
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Girls’ Football, sponsored by The Sprout
The Botley Boys and Girls FC Mums vs Girls match is a new addition to
the area’s sporting calendar but one which has gripped our imaginations.
On June 10, the game was played for its second time, at the club’s
presentation day at Fogwell Road. The girls came out as 2-1 winners in
a game that the 9-11-year-old age group frankly never looked like losing.
From the moment Annabelle White slotted the ball past her mum, Lottie
in goal, the game slipped away from the ladies. The second goal, a
repeat, sealed it.
It was a suitable end to a terrific year for the girls
who joined a group at Botley Boys and Girls
Football Club set up in 2019, with money from the
Weetabix Wildcats scheme. The programme now
supported by The Sprout (as can be glimpsed from
their sponsored shirts) was set up to create a non-
competitive environment for girls between the age
of 5 and 11.
The club runs sessions with between 20–30 girls,
in three different age groups, led by six male and
female coaches with around ten years of coaching
experience between them and all the right
qualifications. The aim is to treat football as a skill that’s fun to master
and a great game that everyone can enjoy. To know more email
botleywildcats@gmail.com Paddy Chatterton
The year so far with the 15th Oxford Scouts
January – Visits from our four-legged friends as we welcomed two Guide
Dogs and their humans for a chat about the work assistance dogs do.
The Cubs loved it so much that we then had a visit from Pluto & Sirius,
two Guinea Pigs! Their human/our helper Hannah, taught the Cubs how
to care for them, learn about animal husbandry & their diet. The Cubs
really loved feeding them lettuce treats!
February – We welcomed five new starters and three Cubs moved up to
Scouts, as our numbers continued to swell in a trend that would later see
us awarded Growth Champions 2023 by our County Commissioner.
March – A team of four Scouts took part in a Ready Steady Cook style
competition and came a fantastic 4th out 12, producing a 3-course meal
from a supplied list of ingredients on a single gas stove. Also time to get
creative, as over a couple of weeks our Scouts were super focused on
designing and then painting their Warhammer models ready for battle.
April – The first camp of the year,
with 33 Cubs and Scouts joining
us over the weekend to spend a
night under canvas. The Scouts
started the weekend off with a
night time expedition, putting into
practice their navigation and
orienteering skills. The following
day saw them try out archery and
axe throwing (not at the same
time!) to round off a whirlwind 24
hours. Meanwhile back at camp
the Cubs had arrived, many of
whom were on their first night away, and got straight to work practising
fire lighting. Lots of torch games were to follow before some bedtime hot
chocolate. The following day saw map work in the woods to work off an
eggy bread breakfast, followed by a visit to the Living Rainforest to learn
about some rare and exotic animals and plants.
May & June – Invited to use our BBQ skills to feed hundreds of you from
the community at the King’s Coronation beacon lighting, and then by
Botley Boys and Girls FC for trophy presentation day. Always great to
meet loads of you, spread the word about the fantastic things we’re doing
through Scouting, and hopefully encourage you to take part yourself, as
a new young member or adult volunteer, to help us become Growth
Champions 2024. Tom Freeman
Meet… George
Hi, nice to meet you. I’m George the seven-month-old piglet. I am pink
with black spots and my brother
Hamish is pure black. Unfortunately,
our owner is very ill, and we need a new
home soon. Many people have come
to see us, yet no one has taken us
home.
Ouch! What’s happening and why are
we in a dog cage? I think we’re
travelling to someplace new. Is this our
new home? I wonder. Now we’re living
in a large rabbit hutch and pen.
When I woke up this morning, Hamish
was missing. He’d been rushed to the vets… And he’s not come home…
It’s lonesome without him. There’s no one to snort at about food or which
side we are sleeping on. My new owner, Scarlett, has given me a teddy,
but teddy doesn’t snort back. I’ve been alone for eight weeks, but all six
of my owner’s dogs come to visit me. I’ve had to have injections into my
bottom to keep me healthy too.
What’s that wretched noise!? It’s coming from the end of the garden.
Scarlett tells me that her old playhouse that she’s grown out of will soon
by my new sty, once it’s renovated.
Now it’s the day that I am going to move in. When I walked down, the sty
was like a five-trotter mansion! It has a bed of thick straw, two new
automatic feeders and my water comes from a butt that keeps my trough
filled. I effortlessly fell asleep that night.
I woke up this morning and there were these two fluffy, black balls curled
up beside me. I snorted a “Good morning” and got a sleepy “Miaow”
back. It’s Zig and Zag, the cats from three gardens along. They are
awfully nice and visit me regularly for a sleep-over.
One morning there was no Zig and Zag. They had heard some big news
but they wouldn’t tell me what it was. Later that morning Scarlett and her
parents brought down a familiar dog cage. Inside was another pig. This
pig looked like Hamish, he smelt like Hamish, he acted like Hamish. Can
it be true! It is Hamish! He’s back! I am overwhelmed with happiness to
have my brother home again.
Now Hamish and I feast on leftover food from Scarlett’s school, we play
in the paddling pool by blowing bubbles with our snouts – very funny
floating sticks in the pool – and we also chase the water from the lawn-
sprinkler. A storm came overnight, and it blew down our favourite apple
tree. Lots of apples fell into our pool and we spent hours apple-bobbing.
More fun!
Often, I wake up because of Hamish’s snoring. He’s also the chattiest.
Cheerio for now, it’s time for supper and bed. By the way my owner,
Scarlett, is a ten-year-old girl and ALL of this story is true!
Riki Therivel
Summer is with us, and with it the chance of hot, sunny weather. We are
frequently reminded to keep hydrated in hot weather. We need to have a
drink more often than usual. For someone whose memory plays tricks on
them, this is an action which often gets forgotten. Please remember to
drink plenty on hot days and remind and encourage those who might not
remember themselves to do the same. Let’s all enjoy the good weather
and keep safe and well at the same time.
Kennington Memory Club celebrated the Coronation in fine style with tea
parties and dancing. There has recently been a Cream Tea and
associated Sale at St Swithun’s Church Hall. We are awaiting Ladderthon
2023 on August 26th with bated breath. Stalwart volunteers are going to
carry a long ladder from Headington to Kennington. Let’s support them
and make it a bumper fund-raiser for Kennington Memory Club, Headway
and MacIntyre’s, three charities all based in Kennington.
Kennington Memory Club Day Centre provides days of fun, activities,
laughter and quizzes for those with memory problems caused by
dementia, as well as respite for their carers.
Currently there are places available, and we would
love to welcome new members, so, if interested,
please contact the club Organiser, Helen, on 07852
883496 or see memoryclub1@outlook.com for
more information. You can visit the Club website by
scanning the QR code or going to
kenningtonmemoryclub.org.uk
Two practices bidding for
Botley and Kennington Surgeries
The Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Integrated Care Board
issued the following statement on May 25 about the future of the Botley
and Kennington Medical Practice:
Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated
Care Board has brought together key stakeholders this week
to carry out due diligence on plans submitted by a number of
Oxfordshire GP practices to take over primary care services
at Botley Medical Centre and Kennington Health Centre from
September 2023.
The panel, which included the Patient Participation Group and
independent patient watchdog Healthwatch Oxfordshire,
considered proposals from two practices to provide GP care
to most patients in Botley and Kennington. A very small
number of patients in the outlying parts of the
Botley/Kennington catchment area may be offered the chance
to register with other practices closer to home.
Both interested practices have committed to providing
services from the existing premises – one from each site – and
all practice support staff currently working in Kennington and
Botley will be offered the opportunity to transfer to the new
providers if they want to.
The next step of the process is for the senior management
team at the ICB to consider the submissions and approve the
new providers. We expect to be able to share the outcomes
and give full details to all patients and key stakeholders in
early July.
The two current surgeries will become branches of the two practices; both
are understood to be Oxford City Practices in different Primary Care
Networks. Both have a ‘good’ CQC rating and are training practices. The
clinical directors of both Primary Care Networks are doctors in each of
the Practices. The names of the practices will not be released until the
decision about awarding the contracts is made, expected to be by the end
of June.
The practice bidding for Botley has 13 GPs with 54 sessions a week. The
practice bidding for Kennington has 16 GPs with 68 sessions. Botley
Medical Centre has two partners, a salaried doctor and a locum doctor.
The bidding practices are already advertising for more doctors and
clinicians to take on the extra patients.
Once the contracts are awarded the Botley and Kennington PPG will
divide its membership between the two practices and will be assimilated
into the existing practices’ PPGs.
John Ashton the PPG chairman, told the recent PPG meeting that the
situation is looking positive and that both surgeries would remain open
full time.
Chris Sugden
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Energy Saving Homes during
Oxford Open Doors, 9th and 10th September
Could you make your home warmer in winter, cooler in summer, a
healthier place to live and maybe even cheaper to run? Energy Saving
Homes is back in partnership with Oxford Preservation Trust for the
Oxford Open Doors weekend on 9/10 September 2023. For homeowners,
landlords and tenants interested in adopting energy saving measures,
visiting an Energy Saving Home provides an ideal opportunity not only to
see what a home fit for the future is like, but also to speak directly to the
people who live in it and ask your questions.
If you’re one of the many in Botley who have made home improvements,
and if you might be willing to welcome visitors, we’d love to hear from
you. We are keen to showcase all sorts of measures, from small to large,
to suit a range of budgets. You might be an owner-occupier, a tenant or
a landlord. You might have solar panels, a heat pump or double/triple
glazing; maybe you’ve got extra insulation, or done some good draught
proofing in your home. To find out more please get in touch with Karen
Starr via karen.starr@energysavinghomes.org.
Energy Saving Homes is organised by Communities for Zero Carbon
Oxford, a collective of community groups in Oxford including Sustainable
Botley. This year’s events are funded by the Low Carbon Hub. Details will
be available nearer the time at www.oxfordpreservation.org.uk and
www.lcon.org.uk/communities-for-zero-carbon-oxford.
A Home for the 4th Oxford Scout Group
We are currently looking for a site to build a new scout hut for the 4th
Oxford Scout Group and would love your help to find an appropriate
location.
The new hut will enable
us to carry out in full our
current and planned
activities and will
provide for many future
generations of young
people. With 165 young
people meeting five
nights a week and
running many other
activities at other times
too, we are the largest
scouting group in the
wider Oxford area.
An awful lot of volunteer work goes on behind the scenes to make these
activities happen. We also need large amounts of storage accessible
from within our hall, and space to dry many large tents after camps.
At the moment we meet at Oxford Rugby Club, and we are incredibly
grateful for their very generous support, but the club has a busy schedule
of its own training, fixtures and events and the arrangement was only ever
a short-term one. Equally we have a wide range of quite specific storage
and activity requirements and need to make full provision for our current
and future needs.
There is no existing (or
planned) building in the
area that can provide what
we need, and the existing
scout hut is not available to
us. So, we find ourselves in
the daunting position of
needing to build a
replacement hut in a new
location.
We have very kindly been
offered a field next to the
rugby club, but there are a number of reasons why it is not a perfect
solution for us: it is two miles from the centre of our catchment area, it is
in the flood plain, in the green belt, it has no water/electricity/sewage and
there are issues with access. If we could build a scout hut there it would
be an exciting project, but the hurdles that might stop the project are many
and we need to look at all other options before we commit to that future.
So, here is our request for help, please. We are looking for a building, or
a plot of land on which we could build a scout hut, next to open space
where we can do outdoor activities. We would like easy access for
families, and easy access for young people into the nearby countryside.
Is there anywhere you can think of where we might be able to build a hut?
Do you know of an unused building or plot of land in the area? Do you
know anyone who owns a plot of land whom we could approach? Do you
know anywhere we could store some of our kit? We would be really
grateful for any suggestions or ideas you might have, so we can consider
all possibilities before committing to what will be a major project. Please
contact chair@thefourth.org.uk with any information.
Thank you.
Trustees of 4th Oxford Scout
Group, Reg Charity 267799.
PS, the pictures show us kayaking
and our recent expedition camp.
Venice to the Outer Hebrides
Skin Deep – The surface of the sea
Photographs by Carmen Caldera and Gordon Stokes – Botley Arts
Exhibition, 10 July to 1 September, at St Peter and St Paul Church
Carmen says:
I was born in Spain, and my house was opposite the Art School, so
my street was always full of artists with paintings under their arms. At
my father's wishes, I studied to become a lawyer, but I always kept my
creative soul, and all my life I have painted, composed, and been in
love with Art in general.
I was a lawyer in Spain for 17 years, then moved to the UK in 2014.
When mobile phones were born, my passion for photography
developed, and I saw myself taking pictures all the time with my phone.
Then my Canon camera came into my life, and the rest is history. Over
time, my passion continued to increase, and one day I found myself
taking pictures at a wedding, with no experience. The couple were
delighted...Then came more and more events, and more and more
photos.
I have always been self-taught. My photography reflects the beautiful
side of life: beauty, colour, feelings, passion...
Since lockdown, my camera has accompanied me on all my trips:
Jerusalem, Spain, Venice...I love taking pictures; there is something
magical about immortalising a moment that will not be repeated, that
will be frozen in time.
For my exhibition with Botley Arts, I am showing photos recently taken
in Venice, one of my favourite places in the world.
Gordon says:
Every year we overfish, dump rubbish, overheat and otherwise pollute
the sea – its skin-deep beauty will outlive us all, but we are wrecking
the oceans and it has to stop.
The exhibition shows photographs of the sea along the western coasts
of Britain, including the Isles of Scilly with its tranquillity, the far west
of Cornwall with its big waves and surfers, and the Outer Hebrides with
its wildness.
These places all have a special light, being surrounded by sea, with
damp air that deflects
light, making shadows
softer. The shallow
seas, clarity of water
and white sand beaches
make for colours in the
sea that are sometimes
almost unbelievable.
The photos concentrate
on the water and the
sky.
I visit West Cornwall
regularly and I've loved the Isles of Scilly since I first went there in the
1980s, especially the smaller islands of Bryher, Tresco, St Martins and
Samson. Visits to the Outer Hebrides, and Coll and Tiree have been
less frequent but their beauty is just as great.
My photography is fairly minimalist, simple in terms of composition,
and my influences are from abstract painting and printmaking rather
than conventional photography. The aim is to please, relax and quietly
uplift rather than to challenge. I hope that they convey a sense of the
places they were taken and how precious the natural environment is –
for the world and for our spirit.
I started printing photographs aged 13, and have used monochrome,
colour print and slide film. All is now digital and is mainly seascapes,
alongside some landscapes of Oxfordshire.
I regularly take part in Artweeks at the Edith Road Studios off
Abingdon Road in Oxford. I have also exhibited in Reading, West Ox
Arts in Bampton, and more locally at the John Radcliffe, Churchill and
Warneford Hospitals. For the last 30 years I have lived and worked in
the Oxford area. My photography has been combined with a career in
research, including working for the Countryside Agency. A geographer
by training, I am also a Visiting Research Associate in the University
of Oxford.
More about my work can be seen at www.gordonstokes.co.uk
Gordon’s photos are a magical blend of colours, which have to be seen
to be appreciated. The Sprout can’t hope to do justice to them. But above,
as a taster, is a view of the sea off Cornwall.
Botley Bridges Update
It’s been a while since Botley Bridges last appeared in The Sprout, so we
felt it was time to share news about what the charity has been up to.
If you’ve not come across us before, Botley Bridges provides support for
families with young children in Botley, North Hinksey, Cumnor and
beyond!
Over the last year, we’ve supported over 300 local families. Our face-to-
face sessions are now back in full swing – the regular weekly Stay and
Play group at Botley School and Baby Group at Seacourt Hall are an
opportunity for young children to connect with each other, and for new
parents to forge friendships and find a support network. We also continue
to offer courses in a wide range of topics, such as Baby Massage,
paediatric First Aid and Family Links.
The Botley Bridges Co-ordinator, Hayley Hayle, was awarded a BEM for
the Online Baby Group that she set up during Covid, in recognition of
the support that was offered to isolated families. This popular group
continues every Wednesday, as new parents have told us how helpful
they are, particularly in those sometimes tricky first few months.
In June we launched a brand new initiative, Acorns and Oaks, an
intergenerational playgroup that brings together little ones and their
parents with the residents of Chawley Grove! The group meets fortnightly,
on Wednesdays from 2–3pm.
We’re also busy preparing our summer programme of family-friendly
activities in the local community – last year we ran “At The Beach”,
“Dinosaurs” and “Pirates” sessions (to name a few!) across several local
parks. Keep an eye on our website and follow us on Facebook to find out
what’s going on.
As a charity, Botley Bridges relies on
grants and donations to continue our work
to help local families thrive. We’re about to
launch a new fundraising campaign which
aims to raise £3000 to support our
summer holidays activity programme. If
you’re interested in finding out more about
how you can help improve family life in our
community, please visit:
botleybridges.org or scan here:
Amy Walters
Fond Farewells at Botley Library
It was a sad day on Tuesday 30th May in Botley Library as we said a fond
farewell to Lyn Moody, who retired after an impressive 37 years! Lyn has
obviously seen many changes over the years, especially the move from
the old library in Elms Court to the brand new building in West Way
Square. There have been several managerial and staff changes over the
years – she has worked alongside six managers in that time!
Lyn has always gone about her work diligently, professionally and is
unflappable! Most of all she has been a wonderful friend and colleague
to many and she will be most sorely missed. We had a small celebration
in the library with plenty of tea and cake. She was presented with flowers,
gifts from colleagues and customers too. So a big thank you to Lyn from
both staff and customers alike. We wish Lyn a happy retirement, no doubt
enjoying more time with her garden and animals. Jan Shirley
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FREE SWIMMING FOR UNDER 17s at Leys, Barton, Ferry and New
Hinksey swimming pools for kids living in 0X1, 0X2, OX3 and OX4.
To register bring proof of age and of address when you come to
swim the first time.
Randoms
SPROUT AGM
Sun 23rd July, 3pm, at the pavilion pop-up café on the Louie Memorial
playing fields, Arnold’s Way. Everybody welcome.
WI June Report
As I write, I have been just finishing off dressing my straw hat, ready for
our race night on 17th June. Hopefully, we will have several to parade,
sporting flowers, feathers and anything to catch the eye. Our speaker this
month was Janine Kilroe, who has worked as a tutor in our local prisons.
Next month we will find out about the connection between Oxford and
Penicillin – such contrasting talks, but always interesting to our members.
In July, our craft stall will be available at the West Oxford Fun Day on 8th
July hence it will not be at the Seacourt Market in July. Please come and
find us at this community event. Our next WI event will be a bingo
evening with pudding to be held on 9th September at 7pm. It would be
lovely to welcome some new faces. Bess Harris
Botley Arts
Helen Ward, current exhibitor at St Peter & St Paul's Church, will be
demonstrating her talents in situ on Saturday and Sunday, July 1 and 2,
from 2–4pm. All welcome.
Update on the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme (OFAS)
The Environment Agency’s proposed flood alleviation scheme needs to
go through both a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) process with the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and a
planning application process with Oxfordshire County Council.
CPO: The Environment Agency sent out CPOs in February for the land it
wants to acquire, and landowners had a chance to either sell their land
or object. Several landowners objected, so DEFRA will be holding an
inquiry. The inquiry will allow the Environment Agency to explain why it
needs that land, and landowners to explain why the land should not be
taken from them. The inquiry date has not yet been decided.
Planning application: The Environment Agency put in a planning
application for the scheme in March, and the public had until April to
comment on this. The county planning department has now also received
comments from key government bodies. The County can now ask for
further information from the Environment Agency, or recommend that the
scheme be accepted (possibly with conditions) or refused. The final
planning decision will be made by the county council planning committee.
No committee date has yet been set, but it is likely to not be until the
autumn.
Craft Group in the Library
Craft Group meets in the library on a
Thursday afternoon at 2pm. Members
bring their own projects to work on,
knitting, crochet, tapestry etc. The photo
shows some knitted dolls. The Library
supplies cups of tea, and there is plenty
of chat! Currently some of us are making
blankets for the homeless from donated
knitted squares. Please come and join
us!
Other Library Events
Botley Library dates for your diary:
Author Event on Saturday July 15
th
at 2.00pm.
Please join us in conversation with Olivia Kiernan, writer of the Frankie
Sheehan series! Free tickets available from the library. Please ring on
07922 849680 or email Botley.library@oxfordshire.gov.uk to book your
free ticket.
Science Oxford’s fun, interactive family show for Ages 4 to 8 is coming
to Botley Library on Monday 7th August from 2.00pm to 3.00pm. Tickets
are free. To secure your space please ring on 07922 849680 or email
Botley.library@oxfordshire.gov.uk.
Crofts Court
This community-owned, permanently affordable, development of eight
one- and two-bedroomed flats is now open and fully tenanted. Thursday
29th June saw a celebration of this successful endeavour by Oxford
Community Land Trust, when a glass was raised to the new tenants and
to those public-spirited investors who had made the project possible.
Organizations: If your organization is not listed here, please send details
to editor@thesprout.org.uk or telephone 724452 for inclusion.
1st Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
2nd Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
4th Oxford Scout Group
Beavers, Cub Scouts, Scouts
15th Oxford Scout Group
Boys and girls welcome
Baby & Toddler Group
BikeSafe. B4044 community
path campaign
Books on Wheels R.V.S.
Botley Boys & Girls F.C.
Football teams from ages 8-16
Botley Bridges (for under 5s)
Botley Community Larder
Botley and Kennington
Patients Participation Group
Botley Health Walks
Botley Library
Botley Memory Lane Café
Botley Seniors Lunch Club
Botley Youth Club
Cumnor Choral Society
Cumnor Chess Club
Cumnor & District
Historical Society
Cumnor Gardening Club
Harmony InSpires, Ladies'
Acappella Singing Group
Hill End Volunteer Team
Lawn Tennis Club
West Oxford Singing Circle
Morris Dancing – Cry Havoc
North Hinksey Preschool
and Childcare clubs
N Hinksey Art Group
Weds 10–12.00 W.I. Hall Christina 07931 707997
N Hinksey Bellringers
Contact: Ray Rook 01865 241451
N Hinksey Conservation
Volunteers
Meets at weekends Contact Voirrey Carr
07798743121 voirreyc@aol.com
N Hinksey, Friends of
Annual Cricket Match/ Walk. Douglas Bond 791213.
N Hinksey Parish Council
clerk@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk
Oxford Flower Arranging
4th Thursday Cumnor. Dympna Walker: Ox 865259
Oxford Harmony
Wednesdays 7.30 – 9.30 pm at Seacourt Hall
Contact pro@oxfordharmony.co.uk
Oxford Otters
Swimming for people with disabilities. Sundays,
twice monthly. Contact: Alan Cusden 723420
Oxford Rugby Club
Boys and girls from 5, kevin.honner@ntlworld.com
Seniors, training etc jbrodley@chandlings.org.uk.
Raleigh Park, Friends of
Email: raleighpark@raleighpark.org.uk
Seacourt Hall Management
Committee
Contact Lottie White, 07452 960100, or see
https://www.seacourthall.org.uk
Shotokan Karate Club
6+ WOCC twice weekly
Martyn King 07836 646450
Stagecoach Botley
West Oxford Bowls Club
Dave Ellerker 07931 603801
wobc.membership@gmail.com
West Oxford Taekwon Do
Club
Mon, Thurs 6.30-8pm, MA gym, contact Chris Hall
01865 570291 www.wotkd.co.uk
West Oxford U3A
(Uni of the 3rd Age) http://westoxfordu3a.org.uk/
Women’s Institute (Botley)
Weight Watchers
Thursdays 6pm at SS Peter & Paul Church Hall
Banso tel: 07779 253899 bansob@aol.com
Botley Baptist Church,
I Church Way
Contact: Building Manager 07742
662668 botleybaptist@gmail.com
The Rosary Room
Yarnells Hill, Elms Rise
Contact: Maria Brown,
Tel: 01865 247986.
SS Peter & Paul Church
Hall, West Way, Botley
Contact: 01865 242057 or
osneybenefice@outlook.com.
Women's Institute Hall,
North Hinksey Lane
Contact: Val Warner
Tel. 01865 245273
Seacourt Hall,
3 Church Way
Contact: Lottie White on 07452 960100,
or email admin@seacourthall.org.uk
Pavilion, Arnold’s Way,
Elms Rise, Botley
Contact: Darren Blase 241254
louiememorialpavilion@gmail.com
Oxford Rugby Club,
North Hinksey Village
Contact: Mary Bagnall
mary.bagnall1@btinternet.com.
North Hinksey & Botley Churches
Times of Services (once resumed) and Contacts
St. Lawrence, Church of England, North Hinksey Lane
1st, 2nd, 4
th
, 5
th
Sunday 11.30am Holy Communion
3rd Sunday 11.30am Matins
St. Peter and St. Paul, Church of England, West Way
Sundays 9.30am Holy Communion
Wednesdays 10.30am Holy Communion in Chapel of Holy Spirit
1st Saturday each month, 4–5.30pm Messy Church for children and carers
Rev Clare Sykes, Tel. 01865 242345 or r ev c l ar e@b t i n t er n et.co m
See table above for Church Hall enquiries.
Our Lady of the Rosary, Roman Catholic , Yarnells Hill
Saturday 6.30pm Mass
Sunday 9.15am Mass
Fr Daniel Lloyd 07584 323915 dlloyd@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk.
Botley Baptist Church, 1 Church Way
Sunday Service 11 am
Wednesday Zoom Bible St udy 7.30pm
Choir practice Thursday 2pm
Diane Melchert 07742 662668 www.botleybapti stchurch.org
Calvary Chapel
Sunday services on 1st Floor, 1 Church Way at 9.30am with
crèche, children’s Sunday school and youth group
Pastor Steve Vickery 01865 586332
contact@ccox.church website: www.ccoxford.church
What’s On
July
Sat 1st and Sun 2nd, 2–4pm, SS Peter and Paul, Helen Ward
demonstrates her approach to painting
Sun 2nd 2.30–4pm, St Margaret’s Church, Binsey, Oxford
Family Book Group event: Treacle Well Tales
Wed 5th 2–3pm Chawley Grove Care Home, Intergenerational
playgroup (book via Botley Bridges) (also on 19th)
Sat 8th West Oxford Fun Day
Mon 3rd 2.30pm, Dean Court Community Centre, U3A talk:
Janine Kilroe, A photographer’s tale
Sat 15th 2pm, Library, Q&A with Olivia Kiernan
Fri 21st End of School Term
Sun 23rd 3pm, LM Pavilion, Arnold’s Way, SPROUT AGM
Thur 27th 7.30pm, Seacourt Hall, Parish Council Meeting
Fri 28th morning, Seacourt Hall, Health Visitors Baby Clinic
(drop in)
August
Wed 2nd 2–3pm, Chawley Grove Care Home, intergenerational
playgroup, older siblings welcome (also 16th, 30th)
Mon 7th 2–3pm, Botley Library, Science Activities for 4–8
year olds
See Botley Bridges’ Facebook page for activities with young
children across the summer.